Weigela plant named ‘Bokraspiwi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Weigela  plant named ‘Bokraspiwi’, characterized by its compact, uniform and low mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; dark grayed purple-colored leaves; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Weigela hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BOKRASPIWI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant, botanically known as Weigela hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bokraspiwi’.

The new Weigela plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact Weigela plants with attractive leaf and flower colors.

The new Weigela plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2000 of a proprietary selection of Weigela hybrida identified as code number 93115, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Weigela hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Weigela plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in June, 2007 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Weigela plant by softwood cuttings in Boskoop, The Netherlands since the summer of 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Weigela plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Weigela have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bokraspiwi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bokraspiwi’ as a new and distinct Weigela plant:

-   -   1. Compact, uniform and low mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark grayed purple-colored leaves.     -   4. Red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Weigela differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela are more compact and denser than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela have narrower and darker-colored         leaves than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Weigela and the female parent selection         differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Weigela can be compared to plants of the Weigela florida ‘Bramwell’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,513. In side-by-side comparisons in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Weigela differed from plants of ‘Bramwell’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela were more outwardly spreading than         plants of ‘Bramwell’.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela had darker colored leaves than         plants of ‘Bramwell’.     -   3. Plants of the new Weigela and ‘Bramwell’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Bramwell’ had pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Weigela can be compared to plants of the Weigela florida ‘Alexandra’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,772. In side-by-side comparisons in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Weigela differed from plants of ‘Alexandra’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela were more compact than plants of         ‘Alexandra’.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela had darker colored leaves than         plants of ‘Alexandra’.     -   3. Plants of the new Weigela and ‘Alexandra’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Alexandra’ had lighter-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Weigela plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Weigela plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical vegetative plant of ‘Bokraspiwi’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bokraspiwi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in gallon containers during the spring and early summer in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under commercial production practices. Plants were 3.5 years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Weigela hybrida ‘Bokraspiwi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Weigela             hybrida identified as code number 93115, not patented.         -   Male or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Weigela             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 30 days at temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six months at             temperatures of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium in             density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; compact, uniform             and low mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with numerous             lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy plant             form.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 60 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 45 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong to strong.         -   Aspect.—About 20° to 40° from vertical.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 202A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic to oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate to attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrulate; undulating.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             202A. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 187A; venation, close to 143C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 143C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             clusters of about twelve flowers; flowers face upright or             outwardly to slightly drooping.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Weigela flower             from late May to early June in Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three to six weeks on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 6 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape:             Tubular to oblong. Color: Close to 202A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Salverform; five petals fused into a             long tube with separate petal lobes. Petal lobe length:             About 1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.2 cm. Petal lobe             shape: Elliptic to obovate. Petal lobe apex: Obtuse. Petal             lobe margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 60D. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to between 59C and 58A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five in a single whorl, fused;             campanulate calyx. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 202A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 10° to 20° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately             strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             202A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per             flower. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size: About 1             mm by 3 mm. Anther color: Close to 160C. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 160C. Pistils: Quantity:             One per flower. Pistil length: About 5.8 cm. Style length:             About 3.6 cm. Style color: Close to 65B. Stigma color: Close             to 160C. Ovary color: Close to 202A. Seeds and fruits: Seed             and fruit development has not been observed on plants of the             new Weigela. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Weigela have exhibited good     tolerance to rain, wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about −29° C. to about 33° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Weigela have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Weigela. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Weigela plant named ‘Bokraspiwi’ as illustrated and described. 